Fate
by Jaimewwf
Summary: When Mariana runs away with her best friend Marie fate takes them to Logan.


Prologue

Mariana Costas glanced over at her best friend of 6 years, Marie. Marie's parents had kicked their daughter out of their house a week earlier because she was different – well if being different meant that she practically sucked all the life out of her boyfriend with a mere kiss. When Marie left Mariana went right behind her with no second thoughts. Mariana knew a thing or two about being on her own, had been since well forever.

"Two waters please." Marie told the waitress.

"Marie I'm not too sure about drinking the water in here." Mariana whispered, looking around the dive bar and letting her eyes graze over the man fighting in the cage before them. "I think the water in Mexico is safer than this water."

"Mariana you haven't drank anything or eaten in two days." Marie said, looking at her worried. "You've given me all the food, please drink something at least. You are the only thing I have left now."

Mariana sipped the water in the glass that was placed in front of her and sat impatiently as she thought of another way to get the twosome to the destination that Mariana wanted to find.

"What's the guy's name you want to find?" Marie asked.

"Charles Xavier." Mariana said. "Don't ask me why we are looking for the man. We just need to get to a computer somewhere and I'm sure I can find him."

Marie looked around the now empty bar and longingly looked on as the owner paid the "Wolverine", the man who had won the fight.

"We are NOT stealing." Mariana whispered to her friend when she caught Marie glancing at the tip jar. "We are not criminals."

Mariana heard the commotion behind them before Marie and turned in time to see the sharp metal come from the man's hands. As the man exited quickly from the bar Mariana grabbed her friend and drug her toward the exit. She quickly pushed Marie onto the trailer and covered them both up.

"It's really cold back here." Marie whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Mariana asked. "He's driving 70 down the road do you really think he's going to hear you? Do you see his hands? Maybe he can help you."

Mariana must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew the tarp was being pulled back from the both of them and she was face to face with a very angry man.

"What the hell are you two doing?" He demanded. "This isn't a taxi."

"Please sir we just were looking for a ride. I swear." Mariana said, putting her hands in the air and putting herself in front of Marie. "I understand if you don't want to take us but please don't hurt us."

"Do I look like I walk around tearing little girls into shreds?" He asked. "Get out."

Mariana and Marie stood on the side of the road and watched as the man began to drive off.

"What now?" Marie asked.

"We'll walk." Mariana said.

"We could hitchhike." Marie said.

"Are you crazy?" Mariana demanded, turning Marie around. "Do you know what kind of crazy, sick people there are out there?!"

"You stowed us away in a car with a man who has metal claws coming out of his hands." Marie yelled. "And he just kicked some man twice his size ass in a steel cage."

"That you did do."

Mariana turned to see the man had turned around and was now standing in front of them with a smile on his face.

"Your friend has a point." He laughed. "What makes you think I'm not a crazy pyscho?"

"Let's call it desperation." Mariana grumbled, turning around.

"Get in." He said.

"Thanks but no thanks. I don't much like the smart ass version of you." Mariana said, sticking her thumb out. "I think I'll just wait for the first serial killer to stop for us."

Marie grabbed Mariana's arm and drug her to the small RV and pushed her inside to kneel on the floor next to the stranger.

"Well if you're going to kill us the least you could do is tell us your name." Mariana said, turning to the stranger.

"I'm not going to kill ya." He said, shaking his head. "The name is Logan."

"My name is Rogue." Marie said. "And this is Mariana."

"What kind of name is Rogue?" Logan asked, laughing.

"My real name is Marie." She said, looking at the mess in the camper behind her.

"Do you ever clean?" Mariana asked, noticing the trash and dirty clothes piled in the camper.

"No." He replied.

"Do you have anything to eat?" Marie asked. "Mariana be a dear and get us something to eat."

Mariana made Marie a peanut butter sandwich and shoved it at her.

"Don't worry I cut off the parts of the bread that were moldy." Mariana said. "You aren't afraid of food poisoning are you?"

Logan's response was cut off when the tree came down in front of the car and it crashed. Mariana watched as Logan was thrown from the RV and she felt herself being thrown right behind him.

Mariana opened her eyes to a bright white light, sitting up slowly. She looked around the room and noticed a red head standing in the corner.

"Where's Marie?" She asked, putting a hand to her head.

"She's fine." The woman said, placing a hand on Mariana's shoulder. "I'm Jean. You were in an accident."

"I know we were with Logan and the tree." Mariana said. "Is he okay? I saw him go through the windshield."

"He's fine."

"I want to see Marie." Mariana said, standing from the table. "Take me to see her now."

Mariana followed Jean to a double door. She was relieved when the door opened and she saw Marie and Logan standing in the room. A bald man sat behind a desk in the corner.

"Marie." Mariana said, running to her friend. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Marie said, smiling. "You were out for a week. I thought you weren't going to wake up."

"Get your things we should go." Mariana said, looking around the room.

"No. We're meant to be here. It's like fate." Marie said, smiling. "All of these people here are just like me."

"Like you?" Mariana asked.

"Yes and he is Charles Xavier." Marie said. "You were looking for him and he found us."

"Why were you looking for Professor Xavier?" Jean asked, stepping forward.

"You must have heard about me and thought I could help your friend." He said.

"Yes of course." Mariana said, looking to Marie.

Chapter 1

**Two Years Later**

Mariana ran a hand through her long dark hair as she listened to Logan talk about how controlling your emotions helps you control your powers. Most of the people listening to Logan's pep talk were in their late teens. Mariana and Rogue were the oldest, each getting ready to turn 21 in the next month. The others ranged from 17-19, all immature and ridiculously snotty.

"Well Mariana you have nothing to worry about." Bobby laughed.

"Yeah you have no emotions OR any powers." Kitty said, joining in on the fun.

"I'll never understand why they allow a human to live among us." Bobby said. "I mean you know all of our secrets."

"That's enough!" Logan yelled at the class as the bell rang.

Mariana stood from her desk and walked next to her best friend, Rogue.

"Why do you let them treat you like that?" Rogue asked.

"Just forget it." Mariana said, entering her room and closing the door behind her.

She flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Every person at the school thought that Mariana was just another human though they allowed her to stay around because of her "relationships" with Logan and Rogue. She'd known Rogue since they were twelve and when Rogue ran away Mariana went with her. When Logan saved them both he'd sworn to always be there for them both and he had, except for the two years he'd gone off trying to "find himself". Mariana couldn't tell them the truth they'd never understand.

A few hours later Mariana snuck out of her room like she did every night and into Logan's. She watched as he tossed around in the bed, yelling in pain. The walls around his room were remodeled to be so thick that the noises that came out of him at night wouldn't get out. Mariana thought momentarily that he was lucky that he couldn't remember his nightmares in the morning. She placed her hand timidly on his forehead and let herself absorb his nightmare like she did so many nights before. She shook as she saw Logan being shoved under water, dying over and over again. She could feel the pain overcome her mentally and physically. She tried to get her body to stop shaking as she removed her hand from his head and looked upon his form lying on the bed before her. Mariana quietly left the room like she did every other night and went down the hallway toward the courtyard. Unaware of the eyes that followed her as she stumbled out the door.

Logan entered the kitchen, groaning when he saw Scott sitting at the large table eating. Logan stretched briefly before opening the door to one of the cabinets.

"Tired Logan?" Scott asked, grinning.

"No more than usual." Logan said, glaring at him.

"So it has nothing to do with that beautiful girl coming out of your room in the middle of the night?" Scott asked.

"Have you been drinking?" Logan asked.

"Drop the act Logan. I saw Mariana come out of your room." Scott said, standing. "I mean if you're done with her I'd be more than happy to step up and fill the void you've left."

Logan grabbed Scott and slammed him against the wall. Logan felt the claws come out and felt content as the poked through Scott's shirt. Logan let go of him as students began to fill the kitchen.

Logan made his way towards the Professor's office. He knew that Charles would already know of the fight and would soon be beckoning him to the office as if he were a child being punished by his father. He stopped just outside the door and listened when he heard Mariana's voice from the other side of the door.

"Mariana I want you to go to Washington and try to get a meeting with the head of Titan. You've bee communicating with them over the past year I'm sure they will be more than happy to meet with you face to face." Professor Xavier said.

"Washington?" Mariana asked. "I have to be in Boston on Friday for a mid-term exam but I could leave tomorrow."

"Have I told you how proud I am of you for getting in to Boston University and not forgetting about all of us poor mutants?" Charles said, laughing quietly. "I have no idea why you want to attend the mutant meetings or classes sometimes it's not like it helps you in any way."

"I've told you..." Mariana began but stopped when she heard the knock at the door.

"Logan do come in." Charles said, smiling. "Is everything with Scott alright?"

"Yes Professor." Logan said, looking at Mariana briefly.

"Logan you don't have any classes this week do you?" Charles asked.

"No Professor all done." Logan replied, turning his attention back to the Professor.

"I'm sending Mariana to Washington then Boston I'd like for you to accompany her please." Charles said.

"Really that won't be necessary." Mariana said, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

"It'd be nice to get out of her for a while." Logan said, smiling. "I have been meaning to get up to Canada also maybe we will have time to go up for a day or two if we leave soon."

"You can leave first thing tomorrow morning." Charles said, watching as Mariana left the room.


End file.
